UK plans jail sentences for streaming extremist content

MANCHESTER, England – The British government says it will make streaming extremist content an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Currently it's illegal to download or store material that encourages violent attacks. But Home Secretary Amber Rudd says the law should be toughened to include "people who repeatedly view terrorist content online."

Britain has seen five deadly attacks this year, including vehicle and knife rampages and a bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

Rudd told the governing Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday that seven other plots had been stopped. She said tougher laws are needed because there's been "a shift toward crude attacks" with shorter timescales.

Following a rise in criminal acid attacks, Rudd said she would ban the sale of acids to people under 18.